Where is Santa? Norad Website Tracks Santa Across The Globe

Posted by Nathan Kirsch| Tue, Dec 24, 2013 - 8:06 AM

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) usually conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning in the defense of North America, but today NORAD is busy tracking Santa! It looks like Santa has already begun his Christmas voyage, and thanks to NORAD’s cutting-edge Santa tracking technology, you and your family can follow along as he visits homes around the world with NORAD’s Santa tracking program! Santa’s journey started around 5 a.m. ET! Keep tabs on Santa on NORAD’s website; via the NORAD Tracks Santa iPhone app; the Santa Tracker for Android phones; or by pressing the blue OnStar button on GM equipped vehicles. You can also get live updates from Facebook, @NoradSanta on Twitter or if you call 1-877-HI-NORAD, a live person will give you an update. So, there are a ton of ways to track Santa this year!

Once you install the app or get to the website, you can see where on the Earth Santa has visited and where he’s going next. You can also play games, watch videos, listen to Santa’s favorite songs and learn about Santa, NORAD and holiday traditions from around the world. And don’t miss holiday photos on NORAD’s Holiday Hub.

The NORAD Santa tracking program has been a Christmas tradition for more than 50 years. In 1955 a Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations “hotline.” The Director of Operations told his staff to check for signs of Santa making his way down from the North Pole, and callers were given updates on his location. NORAD took over the tradition in 1958, and over one thousand volunteers are making it possible this year!

Last year, volunteers answered 114,000 phone calls from around the world. The website had 22.3 million unique visitors. NORAD Tracks Santa had 1.2 million followers on Facebook and 129,000 on Twitter.